Method



July 24, 1923. 1,462,514

I E. L. LOWE METHOD OF BURNING FUEL OIL IN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES FiledJ 4, 1923 I 2 sheets-sheet 1 \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\&

Jilly 24, 1923.

- E. L. LOWE METHOD OF BURNING FUEL OIL IN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 1923 alum/0 g 0% 2 ZINVENTOR:

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Patented July 24, 1923.

UNITED s ATss PATENT "OFFICE; V

'VEVDWARD L. town, or PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA.

METHODOF BURNING FUEL OIL IN INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application'filed January 4', 1923. Serial No.610,562.

1 *0 all c0 lzomc't may concern Be 1t known that I, EDWARD L, Lown, a citizen of the United States, residing 1n Palo Alto, in the county of Santa Clara,

State of California, have invented a new and useful Methodof Burning Fuel Oil in Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention, in its broad aspects, is a division of 'a contemporaneously pending application filed by. me February 20, 1922, Serial No. 537,997, and relates ton novel methodofburning fuel in the burner of an internaltcombustion engine whereby I am enabled to utilize with equal efficiency not only the cheapest and heaviest grades of hydrocarbons or oil, whose cost approxt.

mates from one to threecentsper gallon, but

also the lighter or more expensive hydro carbons,'such as gasoline or the like.

(1) At the presenttime,ordinaryinternal combustion engine fuel oil has generally, a

flash point between 150 F. and 200, and a the neighborhood of 250 or,

fire test'in 300 F. I I

(2) Air when compressed to 200 pounds per square inch gauge is raised in tempera ture to about 6709'FmLower as well as higher compressive pressures have correspondingtemperatures. 'It will, be noted that the temperature of 67 0 is far in eX-' cess of that actually required to burn ordinary fuel oil, so that it will be seen that if new this temperature can in someway be utilizedtoignite oilof combustion, as by the steps of my novel method, a new era in the operation of an internal combustion en 'ine will be inaugurated.

l y'novcl. method of burnlng fuelis'capable of being carried out in various forms cles and are contained in the upper portion of a central combustion chamber from;

which latter the ignited gases are permitted to travel or expand towards and into the compression space of the engine. c

To the above ends my invention in its broad aspects consists of the, novel method, comprising admitting air to an engine cyllnder and into the burner combustion and ignition chambers, next compressing said air within said combustion and ignition chambers andpermitting a portion of the heat of-said compressed air to be absorbed by the walls of said chambers, next expending said air, next compressing saidair and imparting additional heat to said burner elements to such an extent that ignition occurs on the admission of the fuel and the commingling of the upper lighter into.

chamber and next commingling saidlighter particles in the upper portion of. said combustion chamber with pure, compressed, heated, air admitted 'thereinto thereby igniting the fuel. a

It further consists in conjunction with the hereinabove described method, of the utilization of a thickened cap in metallic contact with the burner elements assembled insuch a way that said cap is not so susceptible to quick changes of temperature, as are the burner elements, so that said cap automatically acts as a temperature regulating member, which is advantageous during the combustion stroke, as it provides means to keepthe burner-elements below destructive temperatures, whereby the latter function without overheatingiunder heavier particles thereof, initially igniting said lighter particles, next, admitting pure, compressed heated air into said lighter particles, and permitting the flame thus formed to expand into a Zone of compressed air.

It further consists of anovel method of 1 and that myinvention is' not limited to the burning fuel, which consists in introducing fuel into a confined body of heated compressed air and effecting the segregation of the lighter and heavier particles thereof, primarily igniting said lighter particles by initially admitting'pure, compressed heated air into said lighter particles, and lastly permitting the flame thus formed to' expand mentalities whereby my novel method can be carried out can be variouslyarranged or organized within the scope of my invention precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalitiesas herein shown and described.

' Figures 1 and 7' represent vertical sec tional viewsof different forms of apparatus wherein my novel method can be carried out. i

' Figures 2 and 3' represent, in detached position, perspective views of the burner seen in Figure 1.

Figure 4 represents, on an enlarged scale, a' vertical, sectional view of the valve seen in Figure 1.

Figure 5 represents on aifenlarged scale a perspective view of the apertured head, stem and spring seen in Figure 1.

Figure 6 represents, on an enlarged scale, the preferredmanner of making a joint between the flange of the outer burner element and the cylinder.

Figures 8 and 9 represent perspective views of the burner elements forming a com plete burner seen in Figure 7.

Figure 10 represents a section on line 101O Figure 7.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings,

1 designates the engine cylinder and its water jacketed cylinder head and 2 the piston therein, which has its upper wall 3' preferably rounded" or convex, the juxtaposed wall 4 of the piston, chamber 5 being preferably of the same contour as said piston end 3. The cylinder has the passage 6 in its upper portion and the air inlet 7 leading to the chamber 8, communicating with said passage, which is controlled by the air in take valve 9. The exhaust chamber communicatingwith the passage 6' is indicated the valves 9 and 11 and thepiston 3 are actuated by any suitablev or conventional mechanism, which it is unnecessary to describe in detail.

13 designates a passage or pocket in the top of the: cylinder in which; is positioned the burner 14 composed of a plurality of metallic ferrules, thimbles or sleeve-like members, which with their adjuncts constitute the salient features of my invention and will now be describedgsaid burner ex tending towards the compress-ion space and having its end opening thereto.

The burner is composed of the outer member 15, which comprises a flange 16, having the circumferential bottom shoulder 17, see Figure 6, which rests on the upper wall or edge of'the pocket 13, the outer edge of said flange beingbeveled as at 48', (see Figure' 6) andresting upon the gasket 18', which also contacts with the bevelledfwall 49* of the flange 29, to be hereinafter referred} to. From theflange-16 depends-thehollow, open ended, conical thimble, ferrule orsl'eevedike member 19' having the'sh-ape-of a truncated cone, whose diameter in cross section gradually increases downwardly and' is preferably largest at its lower end 20.

21 designates an inner circumferential shoulder within the flange 16, upon which rests the outer peripheral portion of the flange 22, from which depends the inner conical thimble, ferrule or sleeve-like member 23, which is of the shape of a truncated cone, whose diameter gradually increases downwardly, the bottom edge 2d of the member 23, preferablyterminating a short distance above the bottom 20 of the outer sleeves 19 and 23, and the inner central flaring con1 bustion chamber 27, is contained with the inner conical sleeve 23.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the conical sleeves 19 and 23, whose individual construction will be understood from Figures 2 and 3, when assembled as seen in Figure 1, form a unitor burner 14 comprising the central flaring combustion chamber 27 of relatively large area flaring downwardly and the outer conical thin or restricted ignition chamber 26, which also flares downwardly and discharges into the lower end of the outer sleeve 19, it being also apparent that the lower portion of the passage or pocket 13', in which the burner ispositioned, also flares downwardly to meet the wall 4, as indicated at 28. The burner or unit 14 is clamped in position by means of the base flange 29 of the valve casing 30, said flange being secured to the cylinder by bolts or the like 31, and by reason of the gasket 18 being positioned as seen in Figure 6, the requisite tight joint between the various elementscan be obtained by the em pl'oyment of a single gasket.

82 designates the fuel inlet pipe for the lOS admission of liquid fuel, which is secured to the extension 33 bylthe coupling 34, said extension projecting from-the bonnet 3551 which is secured within the valve casing by the coupling 'nutfi36, whose upper innerv portion-bears on the b onn'et'flange 37; The upward extension 33 0f the bonnet has the upperport 38, whichadmits' the fuel upon the top of the valve 39,-having the ports &6, said valve having the pendant hollow guide 40, having the internal upper shoulder 4-1, see Figure 4. The upper end of the spring 42 bears against said shoulder 41 and itslower end bears on the head 43,

whose bottom is conical" and rests on a the purpose of inspection, replacement or repairs, but the fuel control valve audits adjuncts are; also readily accessible," by the v manipulation of the coupling. nut 36.

While I have shown in figures 1, 2and 3, the preferred manner ofconstructing and assembling the burner elements 19 and 23 with respect to the base flange 29, it will be evident that these elements may be differently constructed and assembled. It is, however, preferable that the burner elements 19 and 23 be of relatively thin metal and that they be attached to or at least metallic contact, with the .cap or base flange 29 which is of heavier metal or relatively thick, so that it is not so susceptible to quick changes of temperature, as are the thimbles or burner elements 19 and 23, as will be here inait'ter explained.

engine. i I i g In order to start, it 18 only necessary to set] the engine in motion or turn ltIOVEI either by hand or by any onset-the conrefers ventional methods now in use, and in the following description. the term finward to the motion. of the piston towards the crank" shaft, and outward the motion away from the crank shaft. The piston beingat its inward position, the cylinder has received a cl1argeof air at or near the atmospheric pressure. The first outward stroke compresses the "air with consequent increase in its temperature This air fills all thecompresionspace, entering all the'spac'es in. andaround the burner elements l9 and vThe following heat interchanges take place. The air in the,

that ot the air of compression. point has been reached, a charge of fuel is The operation isasfollo'ws'in a two cycle space 13 relinquishes portion of its heat head walla, and a portion to the thimble or outer burner element 19, and also'a portion to the cap or flange 29. In like manner the air in the space or ignition chamber 26 relinquishes heat to the thimbles or burner elements 19 and 23', and to the thick base flange or cap 29. The air in the combustion chamber or 'space 27 relinquishes heat to also to the cap or'fla'nge 29 which latter also receives the heat from 'said'burner elements 19'a'n'd 23, by reason of its direct contact therewith.

As the piston moves inward after the first compressive stroke, the compressed air expands losing its heat and the air in the spaces 13, 26-and 27 while cooling obviously receives heat from the thimbles or burner elements 19 and 23 and'from' the cap or flange 29, which elements beingmade of metal lose their heat less rapidly than the air. When the piston reaches the end of its inward stroke and a fresh charge of air enters and it moves outward again on its second compressive stroke, the burner and air within it are still warm, so that the interchange of heat between the burner and the compressed air will be less than on the first stroke, but interchanges of heat take place in a similar manner. On the third stroke, the interchange will be less than on the second, and soon until the burner reaches a'temperature approaching allowed to enter the burner through the port or'aperture 47. The oil first appean' :in'gat the mouth of the opening 47 initially receives the heat during its passage through and contact with the cap'or flange 29 and from air in the space or central combustion chamber 27. The'heat given up by, the air is immediately made up in part by radiation from the inner burner element or" ,thim-ble 23, and cap-29, and is suflicient to to the jacket water. through the cylinder I the thimble or inner burner element 23 and When this vaporize and ignite the charge, which is,

supplied by a piston pump to the inlet 32 and its discharge into the burner continues over a fixed period of the cycle. The oil,

therefore reachingtheburner after the in-, itial flash, burns upon its arrival within the burner and burns completely leaving no residue or carbon deposit. In fact, no oil reaches the combustion space offlthe cylinder except in an in andescent state.

It; will be readily appreciated, thatthe ignition and burning of the charge mate- 'rially alters the heat interchanges that take place subsequent to ignition. The thin burner elements 19 and 23 are: heated to a temperature in excess of that corresponding to the compressive pressure, and 'in consequence upon each successive compressive stroke, nistead. of receiving heat from. the air of compression, they give up heat to it, or in other words, they are Cooled by the air, of compression. My novel burner therefore functions to maintain a reasonably even temperature, the design thereof being such as to lend itself to this desired end.

It will be noted that the base flange or cap29 is of heavier metal than the thin burner elements 19 and 23, which are in or burner elements below destructive temperatures. The fact that my novel burner functions without overheating under all conditions of load or revolution indicates that the heat balance is reached which fulfills all requirements. From the foregoing it will now be apparent that should it be desired to use a compression pressure lower than that required to ignite low grade fuel oil bycompression when the engine is cold, a, lighter fuel oil with higher flash and fire test may be used for starting, and after the burner has received heat from combustion, the light oil may be shutoff and the lower grade oil turned onto the burner. It

will then continue to function on the low grade, oil' receiving and dispensing heat as described above.

. It will be understoodfrom the foregoing thatthe thin conical ignition chamber 26 and the central conical relatively large combustion chamber 27 are always filled with air during the period of compression. At or near the end of the compression. stroke, fuel is slowly admitted through the passage 47 into the heated air due to compression contained in said combustion chamber 27. Due to the natural action of liquid fuel when subjected to heat inter-changes causing a partial cracking. or separation of the lighter and heavier gases, the lighter gases naturally rise to the top of the com bustion chamber 27, and the heavier gases remain suspended below the lighter gases in said combustion chamber which now contains a fuel which has slowly been admitted,

natural. causes. Also due to the fact that the lightergaseswill ignite at a much lower temperature than. the heavier gases, the series of ports 25, at the top of the combustion chamber 27 connecting with the outer thin ignition chamber 26, allow the lighter gases when they begin to ignite initially to come into contact with the pure compressed heated air in said ignition chamber and said pure highly heated air inthe ignition chamber accelerates the burning of said lighter gases, which causes a very quick interchange of heat upon the thimble or burner element 23 surrounding the combustion chamber 27. There is no explosion in my novel device at any stage of the cycle, but instead a relatively slow progressive burning due to the fact that the oil is slowly admitted, the intial burning taking place in proximity to the ports 25, and a portion of the initial flameis in the upper part of both the ignition chamber and the combustion chamber. The burning of the gases progresses gradually downwardly and reaches the mouth of the burner communicating with the compression or working space of the cylinder, and the burning gases come in direct contact with the heated air in the compression space which causes a complete. combustion of the gases above the pie.- ton, which in turn effects the actuation of the latter. The manner of exhausting the cylinder does not require special mention, the exhaust taking place through the passages 6, 10 and 12, and being controlled by the valve 11 operated by any conventional means. Especial attention is called to the co-actionof the thickened cap 29, with the burner elements since its primary function is to absorb heat from the thin thimbles or burner elements during the combustion stroke, and thus reduce the temperature below the burning point.

The valvular mechanism seen in Figure 1, can be dispensed with if desired, and the fuel fed directly to the port 47, under which conditions the burner and its adjuncts will function perfectly.

I prefer under certain conditions and with certain grades. of fuel to employ the valvular arrangement shown, wherein it will be apparent that the valve 39 will be unseated downwardly whenever the pressure in the pipe 32 is sutlicient to overcome the tension of the spring 42, in which case the fuel will flow through the ports 4-6 and 4 4 to the passage d7 which I have shown as terminating in a nozzle in proximity to the ports 25, which nozzle may be omitted if desired.

It will be apparent that any back pre sure in theburner or combustion chamber 2 7v will tend to seat the valve 39 upwardly, this upward seating tendency being augmented by the spring 48, as is evident.

VVhile I preferably proportion the lengths of the burner elements substantially as seen in Figure .1, and have shown them as being conical or flaringmy device will function satisfactorily if concentric cylinders are employed, and if said burner elements are of substantially the same length.

Ihave found from an extensive practical use of my novel burner underall conditions and with varying grades of fuel that a greaterefliciency isattained by the employment of the thin conical or flaring burner elements 1.9 and 23 whose lengths are proportioned substantially as shown, and Ialso in conjunction therewith employ the flaring 5 mouth 28, which flaring constructions cause or enable the-flame or expansive effect of the burnt gases somewhat to diverge and impinge substantlally instantaneously upon the entirejuxtaposed end area 3 of the pis ton, so that substantially every portion thereof receives the effect of the burnt gases. For this reason, one standard size of'my novel burner composed of the flaring or conical burner elements 19' and 23 can be utilized as the burner unit for engines or pistons of a relatively wide range of sizes or diameters, as is evident.

Obviously, a plurality of burners 14 may be employed to a single cylinder, andwhen a plurality of said burners are employed, it

will be evident that theymay be disposed around or in the cylinder head in any desired arrangement which willproduce the greatest efficiency. Additional thimbles may also be employed if desired.

While I preferably make the inner thimble somewhat shorter than the outer thimble, it will be apparent that the lengths of these thimbles may be'proportioned differently from the construction shown, it beingessential, however, that the central combustion chamber and the outer ignition chamber communicate at their upper and lower portions, the upper communication being had by the restricted ports 25.

In the construction seen inFigures 7 to 10, I have. shownanother form of apparatus, wherein my novel method can be carried out with equal efficiency and wherein the burner elements insteadof being flaring or in the .shape of truncated cones are composed of a plurality of cylinders or thin cylindrical 'thimbles assembled concentrically in the same manner as already described.

The outer cylinder or thimble 51 is pro vided with the flange 52 which is preferably supported on theengine cylinderin the 'manner already described with respect [to The head 52is provided with the counterbore 53in which is seated the flange 54: which carries the thimble or cylinder 55 of the inner burner member, which is provided at its upper portion with the restricted ports 56.

leaves said chamber by the pipe 59, it being evident that the pipe 58 may communicate with the cylinder water jacket 66, if desired. It will be seen that when the burner elements are assembled, the inner thimble 55 is shorter than the outer cylinder 51 or in other words, its lower edge is positioned slightly above the lower edge of the outer cylinder, but if desired, the burner cylinders may be made the same length, and differently proportioned to carry out my novel method, as explained'in connection with ,Figure 1. i

The cap 57 is provided with a passage 61 therethrough into which the fuel is admitted through the pipe 62 to the burner elements assembled as seen in Figure 7] ignition chamber .64 is formed betweenthe inner thimble 55 and theouter thimble 51. Through the inner cylinder extends a relatively large combustion chamber 65,-it being 'seen from the foregoing thatthe relatively thin ignition chambertand the central relatively large combustion chamber 65 are in communication at their lower portions and that their upper portions have restricted communication through the small ports 56, whereby pure compressed heated air in carrying out my novel method is initially or primarily admitted to the lighter particles of the fuel segregated from the heavier particles, which latterfare in the lower portion of the combustion chamber 65. The process of burning the fuel in the burner construction seen in Figure? is the same as that,

already described with respect to Figure 1, the heat interchanges and the functioning of the combustion and ignition chambers being substantially the same, and it is therefore unnecessary to repeat the operation in detail.

It will be apparent that in all'the embodiments of my invention, as in the apparatus seen in Figures 1 and 7, and analogousconthereof, andsaid lighter, particlesrising are primarily or initially ignited, which ignition is effected by the admission of indellU is not the function of the apparatus, since it is not dependent upon one form of apparatus and can be carried out in various structures, three of which have been heretofore referred to. It will be further understood that in the various types of burners, I have referred to, it is desirable that the thickness of the thin tubular burner elements, the proportions of their flanges or supports and the thickness of the cap member in metallic contact with said flanges or burner elements, as well as the areas of the restricted ports, and the proportions of the central combustion chamber and outer thin ignltion chamber have certain proportional relationships, as will be. evident to those skilled in the art, but nevertheless I do not desire to be limited to any particular structure or form of burner orapparatus for carrying out my novel steps. a

I am the first in the art to employ these novel steps in a burner of any character or in conjunction with a combustion and ignition chamber collocated as describedand having communication at their opposite ends or having a restricted port communication at one end andfree communication at their other ends and I am also the first to employ said steps in conjunction with chambers of the character aforesaid, whose walls are in metallic contact with a relatively thick cap less susceptible to temperature changes than the burner elements, and acting as a temperature regulating member which keeps the burner elements below destructive temperaturcs, and my claims are therefore to be interpreted with the scope accorded to inventions of this character.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a new and useful method of burning fuel oil in internal combustion engines which embodies the featuresof advantage enu1nerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description, and while Ihave, in the present instance, shown and described preferred embodiments thereof which will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that the same are susceptible of modifica- 1. The method of burning fuel in an internal combustion engine, which consists in introducing'the fuel into a chamber in communicationwith the working space of an engine cylinder and containing compressed an, independently heating a volume of compressed air in free communication with the intake and discharge ends of said chamber, segregating the lighter particles of the fuel, utihzing said independently heated volume of compressed air to ignite said segregated tion with the intake end of said chamber and in free communication with the discharge end of said chamber, segregating the lighter particles of the fuel, utilizing said independently heated volume of air to ignite said segregated lighter particles of the fuel, and permitting the ignited fuel to expand into the working space of the engine cylinder.

3. The method of burning fuel in an internal combustion engine, which consists in introducing the fuel into a chamber in communication with the working space of the engine cylinder and containing compressed air, independently heating a volume of compressed air in communication with said chamber only at its intake and discharge ends, segregating the lighter particles of the. fuel at the intake end 'of said chamber, utilizing said independently heated volume of air to ignite said segregated lighter particles of the fuel, and permitting the ignited fuel to expand into a zone of compressed air in the working space of the engine cylinder.

a so aaration of the li hter and heavier )ar-' ticles of the fuel, igniting the lighter fuel particles by subjecting them to the action of a separately confined volume of heated air surrounding said chamber, in free communication with the intake and discharge ends of said chamber and in free communication with said working space, and permit ting the ignited fuel to expand into the working space of the engine cylinder.

EDYVARD L. LOlVE. iVitnesses H. S, FAIRBANKS,

C. D. MCV'AY. 

